


Sticks and Stones

by PizzaHorse



Series: Cassunzel Waitress!AU [1]
Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled: The Series (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Diners, Alternate Universe - Restaurant, Cassunzel - Waitress AU, Diners, Emotional Hurt, Gen, Lesbian Character, Name-Calling, Slurs, Talking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-19
Updated: 2020-02-19
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:15:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22807693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PizzaHorse/pseuds/PizzaHorse
Summary: The patrons at the Sundrop Diner don't always have the best suggestions for improvements, as Rapunzel quickly finds out.
Relationships: Cassandra & Rapunzel (Disney: Tangled)
Series: Cassunzel Waitress!AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1639639
Comments: 4
Kudos: 60





	Sticks and Stones

**Author's Note:**

  * For [The Cassunzel Server](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=The+Cassunzel+Server).



It was just after the lunch rush, and the staff were clearing tables and preparing for the next found of customers. Rapunzel poked her head out of the office, calling for one of the wait staff as she saw her pass on her way to deliver dirty dishes to the busboy.

"Cassandra, can I see you in the office?"

"Jane, I'm going in the back!" she called to one of the other waitresses as she slipped out of her apron and hung it on a hook next to the office door. She wasn't too pleased about Fred's young daughter being hired and keeping an eye on the place when he wasn't around. It was especially annoying to be called into the office just a few weeks after Rapunzel had joined the team.

"Close the door," Rapunzel requested as Cassandra stepped inside.

She had a sinking feeling she was about to be reprimanded for something. If she was about to get a write-up by the fresh out of high school owner's daughter, Cassandra thought she might quit on the spot. It was already hard enough working here without some inexperienced teenybopper looking over her shoulder.

She took a seat across from the blond, trying to maintain eye contact. It proved difficult, given that Rapunzel seemed to be distracted with several pieces of paper that were littering the desk. Great, she didn't even value her enough to give her her full attention after calling her in here.

"I've been reading some of the comment cards we got in the suggestions box," she studied one of them as she spoke. "And I have some… _concerns_."

Cassandra sat up a little straighter. She knew from the previous suggestion box (that had sat by the register before Rapunzel started working there but _mysteriously_ disappeared weeks ago) just what kinds of things their frequent patrons liked to comment on.

Rapunzel picked up a different card than the one in her hand, reading it aloud. "'Fries were undersalted,''' she started. Then, the next one. "'If the blond is single, have her call me,' 'so glad you FINALLY hired a pretty girl, now consider firing that butch,' 'wish you'd sack the rude lesbian,'" she looked up to gauge Cassandra's expression.

Her arms were folded across her chest, and she was very interested in one particular corner of the desk, eyes drawn away from Rapunzel and the notes. She chewed the inside of her cheek, waiting to be admonished and held responsible for the unpleasant insults made against her. Or worse, fired on the spot.

"There are a lot like those," she picked up the first card again, "including this one: 'that… waitress looks like she cuts her own hair.'"

"How do you know _that one_ is about me?" Cassandra gruffly replied.

"Um," Rapunzel stared at the card, cheeks flushing as she struggled to reveal the word she'd omitted when she read the comment aloud. She finally settled on sheepishly handing the paper over so Cassandra could view it for herself.

 _That dyke waitress looks like she cuts her own hair_ , she read the card silently.

"I see," Cassandra slid it back across the desk.

"Doesn't that bother you?"

"Look, if I let every idiot who doesn't know a thing about me get under my skin, I'd be miserable. And I'd try to fight at least one customer a week."

"Is it true though?"

"What?"

"Are you a-" she fidgeted as she spoke, "-the word they used-" she swallowed, running a hand along the back of her neck, clearly uncomfortable with the situation, "-a-"

"The alternative you're looking for is _lesbian_. You can say that word without shame. Though, frankly, I don't know what it being true or not has to do with my ability to do my job."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry. I was just curious."

"Curious, huh? Well, better you find out from me than someone else, I guess. Although most everyone else figured it out in the first couple days of working here. Yeah, it's true."

"And people talk to you like this?"

"Not usually to my face. Sometimes I catch guests whispering to each other behind my back. Usually it's sly notes on a napkin or on a receipt or in a suggestion box. Sometimes written in condiments on the table itself. I throw the napkins out and usually _expunge_ any unsavory comments on receipts before I store them in the register."

"You have to read things like this _all the time_?"

"Why do you think I make shit tips?"

"I thought it might be your attitude."

"Well, now you know why I have an 'attitude.'"

"But that's so unfair!"

"Yeah, well, so is your being promoted over me. Not all our dads can own restaurants, _princess_."

Rapunzel sat back in her chair, staring at the cards strewn over the desk. It had never occurred to her that she'd been given a position that someone else might've wanted. When she'd been hired as a manager, she was proud that her father trusted her enough to give her such an important job. She had known that everyone else working there had been there longer, but somehow she didn't think that she was getting special treatment during the hiring process. Now, sitting across from her was a person who she knew was one of their hardest workers, who she'd just come to find out was constantly being insulted by patrons. To top it all off, she had, apparently, been passed over for the very position that Rapunzel now held.

"Sorry."

Cassandra's voice broke her from her thoughts.

"Sorry for what?"

"I spoke out of turn. I shouldn't have insinuated that you didn't work hard to get where you are."

"But you're right! My dad just handed me this job and I have no idea what I'm doing! I'm trying to do my best and make improvements. I thought bringing the suggestion box back was a good idea, but now I see why someone got rid of it before. I thought the ones I read about me were awful. Some were even inappropriate. Then I got to the ones about you and they were so much worse! I don't know how you can stand it."

Cassandra shrugged, dropping her tough-guy act in the process. She didn't need anyone's pity, but whereas Fred told her to ignore the problem, Rapunzel seemed genuinely concerned. Maybe she wasn't such a bad boss after all.

"So, you're not mad at me?"

"Mad? Why would I be mad?"

"Because a lot of those complaints are about me."

"They were also biased and discriminatory."

"Then why did you bring me in here?"

"I thought you should know what our patrons are saying. But it seems like you were already aware."

"Yup, old news. Looks like you're all caught up on how things are around here. Can I please go back to work?"

"What do you think I should do? I can't just let them get away with treating you like this."

"Fred- your dad- has told me over and over to just ignore it. We can't afford to lose any regulars, or we'll _all_ be out of a job. Besides, it's not like I'll be working here forever. This is temporary. It's fine. I can deal."

"It still doesn't seem fair to you-"

"Life isn't fair."

Rapunzel grew quiet, apparently struggling with this revelation. Of course, as someone who was handed a decent job after graduation and whose parents were well off enough that she didn't even _have_ to work here, the idea that things did not come so easily to others appeared to be a foreign concept.

"I don't think the suggestion box is such a good idea. What do you think?" she said at last, unable to address Cassandra's last statement.

"I think you should do what you think is best. You're the boss."

"But you work here. I mean, out there. A lot more than I do. You know the customers, the good and bad ones. I want to listen and make this place better. Safer."

"I think you should let me keep my attitude."

She thought about it for a moment. "You're not impolite to everyone, right? Just the people that deserve it?"

"Of course. There are plenty of nice, decent patrons who are regulars, too. They just don't happen to be as vocal as those who find my lifestyle _distasteful_."

"Then I think that's agreeable. But if someone is really out of line, you can let me know. I don't want people like this," she indicated the slips of paper strewn across the desk, "frequenting this establishment."

"Won't that upset your dad if you start barring people?"

"He hired me for this position so he's going to have to trust some of my decisions."

"Okay. You're the boss."

"Thank you for being honest. I had no idea-"

"You don't have to make a thing of it, alright? You know now. So, whatever you do about it is up to you."

"Right," she sounded unsure of her responsibility. "You can go back to work now."

"Thanks," Cassandra stood, briskly making her way to the door.

"Cassandra."

She stopped, hand resting on the door handle as she turned around. "Yeah?"

"I'm sorry I didn't realize what you have to put up with. I want things to be different. I want to make them better. For you. For everyone."

Cassandra smiled wanly, knowing how futile the effort was, but admiring her willingness to at least try to make a change. It was more than anyone else was doing.

"We'll see."


End file.
